


The Devil You Know/The Devil You Don't

by LittleBlackDragon



Category: Shall We Date?: Obey Me!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Angst, Anxiety, Autistic Original Character(s), Blood and Violence, Emotional Baggage, Eventual Soft Lucifer (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!), Explicit Language, F/M, Fluff, Guilt, Original Character Death(s), Protective Lucifer (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!), Rating May Change, Reincarnation, Romance, Romantic Tension, Satan Has Hazel Eyes For Reasons That Will Make Sense Later, Sexual Content, Sexual Tension, Soft Lucifer (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!), Trauma, longfic, suppressed memories
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-07
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-13 02:55:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29894565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleBlackDragon/pseuds/LittleBlackDragon
Summary: It was already a harrowing ordeal enough. Joey had been kidnapped and pressed into this exchange program against her will, as was another human like her. She had no real means to defend herself against demons that might wish her harm. Well, except to entrust her safety to the seven most powerful lords of the Devildom. That trust wouldn’t come easy, as gentle a person she was at heart. She needed to be practical and cautious.But then there was Lucifer. From the moment they met, something about him seemed familiar to her. Like she knew him from somewhere. But that was impossible, right?When Joey begins to have visions of places she’s never been, of times where she never lived, and a softer side to the Avatar of Pride, she begins to wonder if it’s not just a feeling. She seeks to uncover the meaning of these visions, these feelings, and how they connect to the many “Brides of Lucifer.”All the while, she tries to protect her fellow exchange student as she delves into a mystery of her own, one that leads her to forge pacts with the avatars of sin.
Relationships: Lucifer (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Character(s), Lucifer (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 3





	1. Prologue: July 30th, 1991

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Almost 30 years before the events of our story, a terrible tragedy unfolds.

There was a call about a car accident that night, just on the outskirts of town. A passerby who saw the accident had made the call from a gas station payphone nearby, begging the operator to send someone to help immediately. One car was veering wildly from side to side before slamming into the car in front of them, the caller had said. A drunk driver maybe. People might be hurt. Or dead.

The ambulance was quickly dispatched, sirens wailing as it sped up the road to the scene. 

Things indeed looked grim upon arrival. Metal was scrunched, glass was shattered. Blood painted broken windows. A man was by the driver side door of the car that was hit from behind, his shouts and pleas almost like a roar above the sirens before they quieted. 

“Jenny, don’t move! Just stay where you are, I’ll get you out! Stay still, just listen to the sound of my… No, Jenny! Stay awake. Don’t close your eyes! Stay with me!”

He almost didn’t notice an EMT come up behind him. But he caught movement out of the corner of his eye, causing him to peer sideways.

“Hey sir,” The EMT greeted him with a gentle firmness, “I’m going to need you to stay calm. I’m here to help. What’s your name?”

The man grit his teeth in irritation before he answered. “Lucian Pavone.”

“Alright. I’m Brady, Mr. Pavone. And the person in the car is named Jenny?”

“Yes,” Lucian replied tersely. “What is the purpose of this line of questioning? You have a dying woman on your hands! Stop wasting what little time you have.” 

“As I said, Mr. Pavone. I need you to stay calm,” The EMT, Brady, repeated. “And Jenny needs you to stay calm, as well. She wouldn’t want you losing your head right now. Now, take a deep breath.” As he attempted to soothe Lucian’s panic, he looked him over, watching him glance back to the car as he spoke. “Is Jenny your wife, Mr. Pavone?”

Lucian fell silent for a moment, his expression unreadable to the other. The moment seemed to last longer than was comfortable for either of them.

“Ex-wife.” He finally replied, unable to conceal a hint of wistfulness in his voice. His shoulders tensed, eyes darting for a moment before they fixed yet again on the car. 

“I see,” Brady remarked. He nodded thoughtfully. “It’s clear you still love her very much.” He gestured towards Lucian. “I’m going to need you to stand back from the car.”

Lucian took a reluctant step back, tilting to try and look through the driver side window as Brady got to work. Brady attempted to carefully reach the woman inside, mindful of the debris around her and cutting into her. He was assessing the situation as swiftly as his mind could manage. Her eyes were closed- he needed to check her vitals and determine the safest but quickest way to remove her from the wreckage. Her injuries looked severe, perhaps fatal even assuming she wasn’t already dead. If she was still alive, she needed to be loaded onto the ambulance as soon as possible. 

He wasn’t quick enough for Lucian. 

Brady heard the shifting of feet behind him followed by a _whoosh_ . “You’re _pathetic_ ,” Lucian growled, “It seems I’ll have to do this myself after all. Get out of my way!” 

Brady soon found himself on the ground, realizing an instant later Lucian pulled him away from the car and shoved him to the side. For a moment Brady was shocked, not just by the action but by how _effortlessly_ Lucian did it. He was stronger than he looked. _Much stronger._

However, Brady’s state of shock didn’t last long. As soon as he could get a hold of himself, he attempted to get to his feet. He saw Lucian reach for the car.

“Wait, stop! Mr. Pavone-”

“You _will_ stay out of my way.” Lucian turned to Brady, his gaze boring into him. His crimson eyes glowed like embers from a blaze. If Brady didn’t know any better, he would have sworn they were quite _literally_ glowing. 

Brady tried to protest, but almost immediately he found himself faltering, compliant to Lucian’s wishes, remaining where he was and holding his tongue. He wasn’t even aware of it at first. It was only when Lucian broke his gaze that he even began to register how quickly he was dissuaded. _How …?_

He didn’t get a chance to finish his thought. At that moment he heard a loud _crunch_ , his head jerking towards the noise as feelings of shock and dismay renewed in him. He could scarcely believe what he saw.

Lucian, with his bear hands, completely tore apart the driver’s side of the car. A terrible screech could be heard as parts bent and broke, clanging against the ground and each other as he tossed them aside. All the while, he called with anguished desperation. “Jenny! Jenny please, please listen to me!”

As the wreckage yielded to his extraordinary show of force, he reached inside and pulled Jenny into his arms. kneeling down beside the car. His voice quieted as he began muttering soft words, reassurances and continued pleas for her to stay with him. Lucian’s hands searched for the glass and other debris still embedded in her skin. Eerie light followed the path of his fingertips and suddenly not only did the debris start to disintegrate and disappear, but her wounds began to knit themselves closed. 

“M-Mr. Pavone!?”

Lucian continued as though he hadn’t heard Brady’s dismayed call of his name. In fact, he acted as if nobody else was there. His hand eventually came to rest over Jenny’s heart, electricity crackling around his fingers as he uttered something that sounded nonsensical to Brady. Her body jerked violently for a moment, but then was still as before in Lucian’s embrace. A moment passed. Then another. The electricity emanating from his hand began to fade away.

It was though time itself slowed as everything became quiet.

Then, time started again, the silence broken by Lucian trying to choke back a sob. His hand left Jenny’s chest and wrapped around her wrist. He pressed his forehead to hers, obviously trying and failing to hold back the wave of grief that was coming over him. 

His beloved was gone.

“Jenny…” He spoke her name with a mournful reverence as he cradled her. Or rather, what now remained of her. “I’ve failed you so many times. And now, I’ve failed you in the worst way of all - I can’t even protect you from harm. I can’t…” He trailed off for a moment. “ _I can’t keep doing this._ ”

Lucian pressed a kiss to her forehead before laying her down gently on the ground. 

“Mr. Pavone…” Brady attempted to get his attention, but Lucian continued to ignore him. His attention continued to be fixated on the tragedy in front of him. Brady cautiously stood up and waited for an opportune moment to approach.

“I’ve failed you for the last time, my love.” Lucian himself began to stand up. “I will not trouble you again.” He took in a shaky breath and shook his head. “Perhaps it will be better if you continue your eternity without me.”

Brady could hardly process what he saw let alone come up with the right thing to say. He knew how to handle grieving family and loved ones. But this grieving loved one had seemingly inhuman strength and the ability to heal injuries like magic? He couldn’t wrap his head around that idea. His mind scrambled for any reasonable explanation. But the more he reached, the more one eluded him. 

Suddenly, Lucian turned around, at last deciding to acknowledge Brady’s presence. 

“I knew I shouldn’t have entertained your trite assurances and offer for ‘help’. If I’d acted sooner, she might still be alive!” 

“You… you don’t know that,” Brady answered, attempting to gain some control and self-assurance. “It’s not your fault, Mr. Pavone. It’s not mine either. I know you must be feeling intense grief right now. I can only begin to imagine how much pain you’re in, losing the woman you loved.”

“ _No_ ,” Lucian hissed. “You can’t. A feeble minded nuisance like you could never comprehend what I’m feeling.” He turned his back to the other. “Enough! I don’t want you or any other fool to come up to me and offer empty platitudes and reassurances meant to soothe me. I’m leaving.” He started to walk away. 

“W-wait! Mr. Pavone. If you were part of the accident you might need to be checked over by someone. You could have been hurt even if you managed to get out largely in one piece. The police will want to take your statement once they arrive!” 

Lucian appeared to be ignoring him again, looking off into the darkening sky. Brady tried to call him to get his attention, but it was no use. He attempted to follow the other. Lucian was quick but steady in his stride, making it hard for Brady to keep pace.

And then, he stopped. Brady also stopped, halted once again by bearing witness to a sight he couldn’t believe. This however, was perhaps the most impossible thing of all Brady had seen since he got out of the ambulance. Lucian’s suit appeared to catch fire for a moment, flames cascading down his body. When they reached his feet and dispersed, his outfit had transformed. His suit became dark and regal, adorned with a peacock feather motif. But, his transformation was more than just a change of clothes. 

Brady’s eyes widened. He now had a pair of horns that curled upwards from his head. Even more striking however, were the two sets of sable feathered _wings_ sprouting from his back. 

Brady tried to muster a word, say _anything_. Lucian snapped his fingers and a blinding flash forced the other to look away. Brady tried so desperately to look back. Yet he couldn’t. It was too bright, too overwhelming for his senses no matter how hard he tried.

A moment passed, and then another. When Brady finally managed to look towards where Lucian was, no one was there. 

Lucian was gone. 

“Brady! You alright? Hey-”

Brady felt himself jolted back into the immediate present, as though he’d been in a trance. The unreality of what he’d just seen held his attention so tightly he didn’t notice anyone else approaching. He shook his head.

“I… did you see what I saw just now?” Brady turned around to see who it was. He recognized the person who’d shown up behind him. A paramedic he worked with stood a few feet away with a concerned look on her face.

“Yeah, that car looks like some sort of monster ripped it apart! Not like a drunk driver hit it,” the paramedic replied. 

“You didn’t see…?” It was as though his colleague didn’t even realize Lucian had _been there_ , let alone did any of the things Brady had seen him do. Had he hallucinated that whole thing? Brady took a deep breath and cleared his throat in order to compose himself. “Was there anyone else here besides me?”

“No. I saw you standing not too far away from the victim and you looked completely out of it.” The original question was then repeated. “Seriously, Brady, _are you okay?_ ”

“Shit,” Brady muttered to himself before giving his actual response. “ No. I’m not okay. I’m really sorry, but can you take over for me? I think… I think I might have just had a psychotic break or something. I had a pretty _vivid_ hallucination just now.”

Worry continued to grow on the paramedic’s face. She nodded and gestured away towards the ambulance. “A hallucination? What kind of-” She cut herself off. The question she was about to ask was obvious to Brady, however. She looked behind her and back at him. “Alright, Go sit down and take a deep breath. I’ll finish up here. We can talk after this.”

Brady looked back towards the car for a moment. Jenny’s body was still lying on the ground where it was left. Her vitals were checked, and she was pronounced dead. Brady nodded solemnly and turned away before something small caught his attention and caused him to linger. He recognized the shape of a leather wallet on the ground not too far away, which the paramedic proceeded to pick up and look through, hoping to find a driver’s license or some sort of identification therein. He hadn’t seen that there before. 

**_Was_ ** _it there before?_

“Here we are-” Brady’s colleague pulled out a pair of cards. “Jennifer Townsend, age twenty. Got her license as well as her college I.D.”

 _Townsend? Not Pavone?_ _But her name was Jennifer, which Jenny is a nickname for and-_ Brady chased away the confusion that arose in his mind. After all, it was his mind that had fabricated the entire encounter with Lucian in the first place. _Right?_ He turned around, making his way back to the ambulance to rest and hopefully gain a hold on his thoughts and senses. His mind kept replaying his interaction with Lucian, however.

‘It looked like a monster tore apart the car’. The strength Lucian displayed, his strange power to persuade… those crimson eyes that burned like hellfire, and the horns on his head? Those could indeed perhaps be thought of as monstrous. But to Brady’s mind they seemed more _demonic. But he had feathery wings, like an angel!_

Brady again tried to shake his mind loose. Hallucinations didn’t have to make sense. That’s what happened to him tonight. He had _hallucinated_. Still his mind stubbornly clung to the images, the sound of Lucian’s desperation, his impatience, indignation, and sorrow. He wanted so much for Jenny to be alive, for her to open her eyes and hear him. 

Whether he was real or a figment of Brady’s imagination, her death was real. Someone real would grieve for her loss. Might he have been able to save her if he was faster and hesitated less? Or if he could have seen his visions for what they were sooner?

 _No_ , speculation did nothing in the face of death. It was final. 

That night, a pair of eyes closed forever, never to open again. 

  
  



	2. 1: Away From Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A woman awakens in a place she doesn’t recognize, and finds she’s now far from home, and might not go back any time soon. She has been chosen, she is told, for a most ambitious undertaking by the Prince of Demons. But what of her choice?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is actually a rewrite of the first part of a two part fic I wrote on Tumblr featuring the same characters involving largely the same situation within the context of a somewhat different overarching plot. Some sections of the original piece were kept, but a good portion of it was changed and more details were added to reflect changes in the story. Subsequent chapters however, will be written from scratch and original to this work.

Her eyes fluttered open. But they quickly shut once more as she winced in pain. Joey awoke to a wicked headache, immediately reaching to massage her temples. Her mind was still clearing from the fog of sleep and thoughts lingered on remnants of dreams she recalled from when she slept. Two dreams in particular held clarity in her mind, and they were strange and disturbing dreams indeed.

First she dreamt of being in immense pain, of the life draining from her. All the while she heard a voice calling out to her, begging her to stay. She tried to hold on, to seize the threads of her will to live. But the pain was too much, and her life kept bleeding out of her as much as she willed it otherwise. The voice kept calling to her, increasingly desperate. Something about it felt familiar, yet she couldn’t place _how_ it was familiar. But she wanted to live, to find the answer. She wanted to see the face that voice belonged to, and the name to go with it. _Why was that voice so familiar?_

In spite of all her efforts, she couldn’t hold on, and she felt the last of her life leave her. The voice faded into silence, and she was pulled into an abyss. 

That is, until her second dream followed, picking up in the space the first had left her. Joey found herself floating aimlessly in the dark. Indistinct voices rose up, and suddenly she felt a sensation like hands taking hold of her, pulling her downwards. She felt a wave of panic overcome her and she instinctively tried to resist and pull back against them. But the force pulling her down grew stronger, increasing until she was overwhelmed. She felt herself rapidly descending, the voices becoming clearer the further she went.

“Come to us. Come to the dark. Come to us down below,” they beckoned. “Come… Come…”

_Come to where?_ She couldn’t muster the ability to reply in the heaviness of deep slumber. They repeated their refrain, again and again. “Come to the dark. Come to us down below. Come… Come…”

The force grew stronger still, her descent becoming more rapid. Joey became increasingly panicked, trying to brace for some sort of eventual impact. 

And then, suddenly, she awoke, leading to where she was at present, which she assumed at first was her bedroom. After all, that’s where she’d been last when she went to sleep. Work had been so exhausting that day, to the point that by the time she’d gotten back to her apartment she was ready to collapse. As soon as she had gotten her shoes and coat off and put her purse down, she did just that, and was taken by sleep almost instantly.

Usually if she woke up in such a fog with a headache, having such vivid dreams, it was a sign she’d slept for quite a while longer than she’d intended. _Damn,_ she thought. _What time is it? I should probably think about making myself dinner._ One hand continued to rub her temple as another withdrew to rest against the surface below her. 

But when she rested it there, what she felt wasn’t the softness of her bed. Instead, what she felt was the hard, cold brush of _stone_ against her fingers. _Wait,_ **_stone_** _?_ The realization was startling, and she ran her fingers over the surface just to be sure it wasn’t a trick of the mind. 

_What the hell?_ She slowly began to open her eyes again and sit up, to take in the sight of what was around her. _How am I not back in my bed? Am I still dreaming?_ If that was so, then this dream was the most vivid dream she’d had thus far. It certainly didn’t _feel_ like a dream at all. 

What she saw when she opened her eyes was not her bedroom. Instead, she was greeted with the night sky over a lamplit stone walkway running through what appeared to be a garden. _Or a courtyard of some kind?_ She turned her head a bit, drawn by the soft sound of something scratching against the stone. To her left a inky silhouette came into view, obscuring one of the lamps. At first she assumed it was a shadow being cast, but as it grew closer she realized it was something else.

A pair of dark blue eyes looked back at her. She slightly averted her gaze, uncomfortable with the eye contact, but she didn’t look away. The strange creature was small and round, with long sinewy arms and legs, and a tail trailing behind it. It was also wearing a black top hat with dark blue accents, horns on either side of it, with a matching bow tie. 

_Okay, now I know_ **_I have_ ** _to be dreaming._ Joey felt a flare of pain, her headache worsening for a moment. She winced, letting out a soft hiss as the hand on the ground shot back to join the other in rubbing her temples. 

“Here she is, Mr. Barbatos! I found her!” The creature turned away from her, yelling in a high-pitched voice and making beckoning motions over to where she was. “It looks like she might have had a pretty rough ride.”

“I am not surprised,” she heard a voice lower in tone reply. “It seems Lord Diavolo’s suspicions and mine were correct. Truly extraordinary for a seemingly ordinary human. Well done, Number One.”

It was then that Joey saw a man coming down the walkway. He was wearing an ornate black uniform, trimmed with gold and red with a shoulder cape tucked to one side of his jacket. Once he got closer to her, Joey saw both his eyes and hair were a mixture of lighter and darker shades of teal. He smiled slightly when his gaze met hers momentarily, coming to kneel down once he came up next to her. 

He looked calm, dignified, and cordial even, Joey observed. The fact neither he nor the creature seemed hostile was certainly not unwelcome. But, it did very little to ease her nerves. She didn’t know where she was or what was going on. That, and what was said just then caused even more questions to arise in her mind. The man referred to her as a ‘seemingly ordinary human’ as though he weren’t human himself, for one thing. If he wasn’t human himself, then what was he? _Who_ was he? The other called him ‘Mr. Barbatos’... and the little guy was Number One? 

“Please don’t try to move too much just yet.” The man gently instructed her. Joey nodded compliantly, drawing gentle circles on either side of her head as she continued to try and soothe her headache, even just a little. 

“O-okay.” Joey remained as she was, sitting as still as she could. “Do you happen to have any ibuprofen or anything like that on you?” Joey winced again. “I’m sorry, my head really hurts.”

“No need to apologize for that,” he assured her. “I don’t have any pain medicine on me at the moment, I’m afraid. But I should be able to help you. Here, take your hands away for a moment.”

Joey did so, resting her hands on either side of her on the stone walkway. She took in the sounds around her for a moment. She could hear the flow of running water somewhere near where she was, as well as a gentle breeze stirring the leaves of the bushes and shrubs around her. In the distance, she could make out the faint caw of crows. 

“I’m going to touch your forehead. Is that alright?”

“Yeah.” _Is he going to check me for a fever?_

Joey felt his fingertips gently pressed against her forehead as he muttered a few words that she couldn’t quite make out. _Maybe this isn’t a dream_ , she thought. _I can distinctly feel the physical contact. This all just feels too stable to be a dream. But, if it’s not a dream, then the question remains… ah!_ As he took his hand away, she felt instant relief as the headache began to subside. Within seconds, it was gone. _Completely._

“There. Does that feel better?”

“Yes, a lot!” Joey replied, unable to conceal just how surprised she was. “Thank you so much! Er, Mr. Barbatos, was it? How did you do that?”

“Yes, although there’s no need for quite that level of formality, you are a guest here after all. Barbatos is more than fine. I used a minor incantation to ease your pain. It was no trouble at all.”

“Barbatos then. Got it.” Joey nodded. “Did you say a minor incantation? As in you used magic? _Real magic?_ ” There was also the fact he referred to her as a _guest_. But it was probably better to pace her questions, she reasoned. If Barbatos had the answers to her questions, it wouldn’t do her any good to overwhelm him. _No matter how overwhelmed I’m feeling, I have to try and stay calm here._ _But what the hell is going on?_ The question clawed its way back to the forefront of her thoughts. 

“Yes,” Barbatos answered simply, without any hesitation. “I take it you’re not the sort of person who's inclined to believe in magic?”

“Well…” Joey on the other hand, did hesitate. “Truthfully, I’ve always wanted to believe there was magic. But I’ve never really seen it, or recognized it I guess. So my first instinct is to doubt it.”

“I see. I suppose you can’t be faulted for that. But, I’m afraid that doubt means you may have a difficult time accepting your current set of circumstances.”

“You mean, where I am and why I’m here?”

“Precisely.” Barbatos stood up slightly, offering a hand to her. “Alright, do you think you would like to give standing a try? I think it should be safe to do so now. You may even use my hand for support if you’d like.”

“Yes, I think I can try and stand. I might need to take you up on that offer for a hand, though,” Joey answered, reaching a hand of her own out to wrap her fingers around his. She used his hand as leverage, and carefully, steadily, she managed to get to her feet. She took in a deep breath, centering herself before she spoke to him again. “So, I know your name is Barbatos. I should probably introduce myself. I’m Joey. Joey Andrews. Although, you called me a ‘guest’ earlier, didn’t you? Do you already know who I am?”

Barbatos chuckled. “Actually yes in fact, I do happen to know who you are, Miss Andrews. My master informed me of you before your imminent arrival. Still, I appreciate the introduction all the same. As stated previously, my name is Barbatos.”

“I thought you said there was no need for formality,” Joey verbally prodded him, “Joey’s just fine, Barbatos.”

“Alright, Joey it is then. A pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

“Likewise,” Joey responded politely. Her eyes averted for a moment to the scenery around her. Through the shrubbery and flowers Joey could see the walls of a building surrounding them on all sides. _So this is a courtyard_ , Joey concluded. Ornate and ominous statues stood on either side of entryways that led into the building away from the courtyard. _To where?_ Joey suspected she may very well find out the answer to that soon. “I’d ask how this ‘master’ of yours knows who I am, but it’s important I ask other questions first I think. Like, where am I?”

“Indeed,” replied Barbatos, “It would be better to start with the basics. Even that might be a bit hard for you to take, however.” His expression became thoughtful for a moment as he seemed to ponder his words before he continued. “You’re in a place called the Devildom, Joey. It is the realm of Demonkind, ruled by its King in name. However, his son and heir, Prince Diavolo has been governing the realm for some time.” He paused. “It was by his wish and will that you were summoned here.”

A moment passed. Utter bewilderment spread across Joey’s face. A knot of fear also began to form and tighten uncomfortably in the pit of her stomach. “The land of Demonkind? As in… _Hell_ ? I-I mean that’s what humans I know happened to call it where I come from.” _He couldn’t be serious, could he?_ Was she really in Hell? Were Barbatos and Number One really demons? Her gaze darted back and forth. She almost half expected the calm scenery to melt away and reveal blazing pits and tormented souls, for the air to become thick with the scent of sulfur. 

“Oh, I’m well aware. Indeed, Hell and the Devildom are one and the same place,” Barbatos confirmed, simply smiling at her. “Of course, most humans who believe in its existence think of it as the place the most sinful and wicked humans go after they die. There _are_ human souls who reach their final fate here, but there’s more to the Devildom then that. It is the place where demons have dwelt, and built their own civilization, one, you may be surprised to find, bears something of a resemblance to those of humans.”

“Alright then.” Joey felt the instinctive need to take a step back, but restrained herself. “So, I’m in the Devildom, or Hell as I’m used to hearing it called, and it’s the place where demons live. And this Prince Diavolo brought me here. Do I have the story straight so far?”

“Indeed you do,” Barbatos answered. “Unfortunately there was a bit of a mishap in trying to get you here. You have quite the strong will it seems.” At this his smile widened a bit. “You resisted my master’s call to the point that you went off course and wound up a bit further away then where you were supposed to appear. But, I was sent to fetch you and guide you to where Lord Diavolo is at present. I had Number One here assist me in the search, and thankfully we managed to find you.” He gestured to the other, smaller demon. 

“Yeah, pretty impressive for a human! There was no way we wouldn’t be able to find you though,” proclaimed Number One, pride brimming from their speech. 

Joey smiled and shook her head. “I don’t know about that. Being impressive I mean.” _My dream from earlier then… was that Diavolo trying to summon me? What would a demon prince want with me?_ The knot of fear tightened inside her gut. _What’s going to happen to me?_

“Don’t be so sure. Your willpower will be an invaluable thing to have here in the Devildom. You may not be gifted with magic that can protect you, but you have that at least,” remarked Barbatos. “But I digress. Lord Diavolo has summoned you here to assist him with an undertaking of his- an exchange program between the realms of demons, humans, and angels.”

“An exchange program… ?” Joey questioned him. “You make it sound like I’m going to be attending a school down here or something.” She of course was joking. Surely he meant something else other than that. 

Barbatos laughed. “Actually, that’s exactly what Lord Diavolo intends.” He turned away, making a sweeping gesture towards the courtyard and building around them. “We are currently in the central courtyard of the Royal Academy of Diavolo, or RAD for short as it’s so often called. I would say it most resembles a university or other similar institutions you might find in the human world,” he explained. “My master founded the school long ago, but he is also enrolled here as a student and serves as President of the Student Council. He is forever trying to improve himself and the Devildom, and thus is forever on a quest to learn, and encourage others to do the same.”

“Really? That’s… quite an admirable thing,” Joey commended, struggling with how to exactly phrase what she wanted to say. “So, I am to be a student at RAD then?”

“Yes.” Barbatos nodded. “You will be joined by two other humans like yourself, as well as three angels who hail from the Celestial Realm. We will be sending three students to each of the other realms in turn, and all will return to their respective realms after the duration of what would be considered a year in the human world.

“My master’s hope is to foster understanding and respecting between angels, humans, and demons, and bring about a peace not seen before between their realms. I must admit, it is a truly ambitious endeavor.”

“Yeah no kidding!” Joey’s expression shifted between emotions as her mind tried to process everything she was being told. She grew up around people that believed in the existence of such things. But for there to be peace between them? Such a thing would have been seen as a far off fantasy. “If what little I know of demons and angels holds any truth, it’s that peace between them and humans would not be an easy thing to achieve. Most people would say it’s impossible.”

“Many angels and demons would agree with them,” Barbatos noted, his expression turning more serious. “But my lord believes otherwise. And _I_ am certainly confident it lies within the realm of possibility.”

“I see.” The pieces began to fit together in Joey’s mind. “I was chosen to be part of this? Why me? I’m certainly nobody special.”

“ That remains to be seen. You sell yourself short, perhaps,” Barbatos gently countered before answering her question, “But... there was an element of randomness to the selection. You were chosen from among many other humans we had information on. Still, you _were_ specifically chosen from among them. It’s how my master knew of you and how I in turn learned of you.”

Joey thought for a moment, considering everything Barbatos told her. “Okay, I think I get the gist of it. That all sounds well and good. But, forgive me for feeling wary. There is an important point of all this I must know. Am I allowed to turn this all down and ask to be sent home?”

At this Barbatos sighed. “Your wariness is not unwarranted. As to whether you can refuse... you may certainly voice it, but I’m not sure it will be granted. When Lord Diavolo has his mind set on something, it is hard to get him to change course, even if he already has doubts about what he’s doing.That and well... he’s very much used to getting his way, being the Prince of Demons.”

After a moment, Joey raised an eyebrow. One thing was now abundantly clear, and she felt it needed to be said. 

“So basically what you’re telling me is I’ve been kidnapped.”

Barbatos fell silent, his brow furrowing as he put his hand to his chin. Joey wasn’t an excellent judge when it came to reading the expressions of others. But were she to take a guess, he was considering what he said next _very_ carefully.

_I can’t believe this!_ Joey screamed internally. _Magic, demons, angels, all of it’s real? And I’ve been straight up_ **_abducted_** _, by the de facto ruler of demons no less, to attend what amounts to_ **_demon college_** _. For an entire year!? You’ve got to be fucking kidding me!_ And this was all assuming such a story wasn’t some ridiculous ploy to say, lure her into a trap and say, kill her and eat her soul or something else existentially horrible.

“I won’t pretend it is otherwise,” Barbatos finally spoke. “I imagine this is a lot for you to take in. And further still, it must be frightening to be here without prior knowledge and against your will. I doubt you can persuade my master to let you leave and choose another to replace you. You can try if you so like, but I suspect it will prove futile. I can offer you little assurance but this: Diavolo is a demon of honesty. He can tell if anyone is lying, but more importantly to you at this moment, he also _never lies_. He has made it clear he only intends for the exchange students to attend for a year, and when that year is over, you will be free to go. He will honor his word.”

Joey raised an eyebrow, causing Barbatos to sigh. “I’m sorry,” she said, “I just... I’d certainly like to believe that’s the case. But, it’s kind of hard to be trusting right now given that I was brought here without my consent. And I don’t know you or your master. But... I do appreciate your attempt to reassure me nonetheless.”

“I’m afraid it’s all I can offer you, Joey,” Barbatos answered regretfully. “Well, that, and perhaps a pair of shoes. It won’t do to present you before his highness and the rest of the RAD Student Council in your stocking feet.”

Joey blinked and looked down at her feet for a moment. _Right_ , she thought. _I took my shoes off when I got home._ “Yeah, I suppose not. Would it be too much of an imposition to also request a hairbrush and a hair tie as well?”

Barbatos looked at her with a thoughtful expression. “I think it shouldn’t be a problem to help you tidy up a little.” His smile returned. “Number One, would you go and fetch a pair of shoes, hairbrush, and hair tie for Joey please?”

“Right away, sir!” 

The little demon sped away, off down one of the shadowy corridors leading inside of the academy. Barbatos nodded with satisfaction, turning his attention back to Joey.

“I can help straighten out your clothes a little as well, if you’d like,” he offered. “All things considered you’ve been handling this quite well. You’ve been quite restrained when it comes to expressing your anger, and you’ve been willing to give the benefit of the doubt in spite of it.”

“Yeah well...” _I’ve just been conditioned to lose my shit internally instead of externally, thanks for noticing!_ “I’ve always been pretty good at rolling with the punches so to speak.” 

“I see.” Barbatos nodded. “Also something that will serve you well here. Alright, as soon as Number One gets back, I’ll take you somewhere better suited for tidying up. Then once you’re ready, I’ll escort you to the assembly hall where Lord Diavolo will be waiting.”

“Alright then.” _I really don’t know if I can trust any of this. I really, really hope this is all just some sort of dream and that soon I’ll just wake up. Just like I did from the others._ Joey watched for the return of Number One, feeling her nerves twist and tighten as anticipation began to build in her gut. 

She could do nothing for now but follow Barbatos and meet with his master. She only hoped that if this was indeed real, she could find some way to escape her fate. 

* * *

Number One had returned with the requested supplies, and once Barbatos escorted her to a room out of the way to tidy herself, she accepted his offer to help straighten her clothes. Her wrinkled black sweater and skirt become smooth and lustrous with a touch of magic. Joey brushed them off for good measure, straightening up her matching thigh high socks as well before putting on the shoes brough to her by Number One. Once that was done, she finished off by brushing her hair and tying it back with the hair tie the little demon had also brought back for her.

As she made her final adjustments, she heard a pinging sound from behind her. Joey turned around, seeing Barbatos had pulled out what looked like a smartphone. He swiftly made a few taps, typing something before placing it back in his pocket. He glanced over, nodding in recognition at the curious expression on her face.

“Lord Diavolo sent me a text message just now asking after you. I told him we were a little delayed, but you were alright. He said he was grateful to hear that, and hoped to meet you face to face soon.”

_Well, he’ll certainly get his wish. I have no choice in the matter._ Joey nodded. “You know, I’m not quite sure whether to be surprised you have those kinds of devices here. I would have thought with things like magic you wouldn’t need them.”

Barbatos shook his head. “One unfamiliar with how magic works might think so. But, aside from basic charms such as the one used to alleviate your headache or remove wrinkles from your clothes, magic takes a considerable effort. We certainly _do_ use magic for things, but a lot of tasks are simply much more easily accomplished with the use of technology,” he explained. “For example, my phone is much easier for long distance communication than a magical equivalent. Although, we refer to our version of such devices as D.D.D.s in the Devildom, rather than smartphones.”

“Oh! I see,” replied Joey, “I guess a lot of stories in the human world do make magic look easy. But it’s not that way in reality.” _Well, hell certainly isn’t turning out to be how I expected._ Joey was still looking for any signs that it might be not what it seemed. Even as grateful as she was for Barbatos’s help and hospitality, she couldn’t let her guard up. Anything could happen.

“No, it isn’t.” Barbatos agreed. “You appear to have fixed yourself up quite well, Joey. Are you ready to go, or do you feel you require a little more time?”

“I… I think I’m ready.” Joey turned the hairbrush in her hand. Barbatos made a gesture and Number One came into the room, reaching out to take the hairbrush from her. She watched as they took it from her, almost cradling the hairbrush in their arms.

Suddenly, a thought occurred to her. “Hey, Number One is-”Before she could finish what she was saying however, Number One had scuttled away into the shadows again. Joey hummed thoughtfully as her eyes searched for any sign of the little demon. But they were well and truly gone, it seemed. _Is Number One really your name? Or is it just a rank or title of sorts?_ “... Well, another time, then. Maybe.”

Maybe, because if she was lucky she wouldn’t be sticking around here. 

Barbatos gestured for her to follow, and Joey went with him, heading into the academy to where they would meet with his master. _Barbatos mentioned the rest of the Student Council,_ Joey remembered. _They’ll be there too. I wonder who they are? If Diavolo is the Devildom Prince, it seems more than likely the council might either be made up of Demonic aristocracy or particularly powerful and accomplished demons. Or both._

Joey was unsettled by the thought. 

Barbatos led Joey down long and winding corridors further into the academy. The aesthetic was antique and stately, but had a certain grim foreboding to it. The halls were much too spacious for her liking, Joey observed. The nature of the statues, painting, and tapestries that decorated the halls didn’t help to alleviate the feeling. Nor did the fact that each step she and Barbatos took echoed as they made their way. 

Eventually they came down a long stretch of hallway that seemed to go for some distance. Or perhaps it was all in her head, Joey thought. As they walked, Joey could swear she heard the soft sound of sniffling up ahead. _Was someone crying?_ There was also the patter of footsteps that didn’t belong to her or Barbatos. 

A pair turned from around the corner up ahead, crossing down the hall the opposite way as Joey and Barbatos were heading. A man who appeared to be around Joey’s age appeared to be leading a woman behind him, his quick stride making it difficult for her to keep up. 

He wore the same black uniform as Barbatos, although his uniform seemed slightly different in terms of minor details. He also wore his uniform more messily, his jacket open and shirt not tucked in, necktie hanging loose around his neck. 

If he was wearing the same uniform as Barbatos he was more than likely a demon, Joey suspected. And yet, what struck her was that some of his features seemed more _angelic_ to her, such as a shock of white hair and blue eyes. Then again, it wasn’t as if Barbatos looked particularly _demonic_ either. 

The woman following him on the other hand, wasn’t dressed in a uniform. Rather, she was dressed in blue jeans with a baggy gray t-shirt and dark green tennis shoes. _The uniform Barbatos and that other guy are wearing are probably RAD school uniforms_ , Joey realized. _And if this woman isn’t wearing one…_

Before Joey could complete her train of thought, it was immediately stopped when she heard sniffling and muffled sobs. Her eyes met the other’s face, and Joey physically halted as well. 

_So she_ **_was_ ** _crying._ Her expression also looked fearful. 

“Hey Barbatos, can you hold on a second?” Joey called to her escort before breaking away from him, making a brisk dash for the man and woman as they made their way down the hall.

“Excuse me!” Joey called out at first, trying to draw attention to herself. They stopped, and once Joey caught up to them, she spoke again in a normal tone of voice, directing her attention towards the woman. “Ma’am, I saw you were crying as you were walking by us. Are you alright?”

“I…” The woman hesitated. “U-um.” She looked Joey up and down, tilting her head from side to side. “I’ve h-had better days,” she finally managed to sputter out. 

“Oi, what’s-” The man was about to speak when he caught sight of Barbatos waiting up ahead. His eyes widened momentarily. “Oh, I see what’s going on. You’re the other human Diavolo’s been expecting. I guess Barbatos managed to find you in one piece.” _The ‘other’ human_ , Joey noted his choice of words. 

“Yeah, he did. He’s taking me to see Prince Diavolo now,” Joey responded. 

“Ah, Mammon.” Joey heard Barbatos’s voice from behind her. “Lord Diavolo mentioned in his message that his previous meeting had concluded and that you were on your way with Miss Barker to the House of Lamentation.” _Mammon,_ Joey noted the name. _And Barker must be the woman’s last name._

“Yeah. Lucifer decided to saddle me with _babysitting duty_ ,” Mammon complained, “As if I don’t already have enough to deal with, now I have to look after some weak human.”

Joey suppressed the urge to clench her fist. _Jerk._ _But, wait, did he just say_ ** _Lucifer_** _!? No… no, no he doesn’t mean that Lucifer. Please tell me he didn’t mean THAT Lucifer!_ Joey tried to shake the sudden wave of fear that came over her. _Come on, Joey, don’t worry about that right now. That woman is one of the other humans that were brought here, and she’s scared! I can’t do a whole lot, but hopefully I can at least comfort her and help her be braver! Maybe if I’m lucky, I can convince Prince Diavolo to send her home too!_

Joey wasn’t the best at thinking on her feet, but she had a feeling it would be best to ingratiate herself to Mammon at least a little in order to proceed. “... Yeah, I guess I can see how taking care of a human in a place like the Devildom would be a hassle,” Joey replied to what he said, trying her best not to hesitate or leave too long a pause in between words. “Most humans don’t have magic to protect themselves with. Plus, we’re probably pretty physically weak compared to demons and lack their endurance as well. Seems like you would really need to keep an eye on us to make sure nothing happens.”

“Hey, don’t think so high and mighty of yourself…” Mammon cut himself off, a surprised look on his face as he turned his gaze from Barbatos back to Joey. “Wait, you were agreeing with me, human? That’s… that’s good! You understand your situation well, then.” He paused, glancing away. 

_Maybe he doesn’t know how to react if I’m not confrontational?_ It was only a guess on Joey’s part. Social situations were always difficult for her, especially if they were emotionally charged. So she wasn’t confident in that guess. _But it might be something to go on,_ she thought. _I just hope I’m right here._

“Hey, Mammon. I’m sorry to take up more of your time since you’ve got a lot on your plate,” Joey started, “But can I talk to my fellow human? She seems like she’s really scared and upset.”

Mammon glanced between Joey and his human charge for a moment, overtly hesitant. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea. In addition to looking after her, I’m under orders from Lucifer to take her back to where she’s gonna be staying. I can’t disobey a direct order from him, and if I dawdle too much, it’s possible he might think I’m slacking off.” He shook his head, averting his eyes. “Not that I’m scared of him or anything like that! As if! Just don’t want any more trouble than I’m already dealing with. I can’t let you two stay and chat, we need to keep moving.”

_Lucifer sounds like a strict taskmaster._ “Not even for a minute or two?” Joey felt herself mentally fumbling as she tried to reach for an argument. “Look, you said you already had a lot to deal with and now Lucifer put taking care of a human on top of that, right? If she’s less upset, she might be easier to look after.”

Mammon paused. Silence hung in the air for a moment or two. But then, he gave a nod, and stepped to the side. 

“You have a point,” he conceded, “Fine. The Great Mammon’s feeling generous, seeing as you were so considerate towards me. You can talk, but make it quick, human.”

Joey nodded to Mammon, finding herself able to muster a small smile. “I promise I will! Thank you so much, Mammon. I appreciate this!” 

_“Yeah, yeah, whatever.”_ She heard Mammon mutter under his breath as she walked past him. Joey approached the other woman, but stopped short in order to give her enough personal space. She tilted her head, attempting to have both an assuring expression and tone of voice. 

“Hey,” Joey greeted her. “I don’t think I got your name before I started talking to Mammon. I’m Joey Andrews.”

The other woman sniffled and attempted to wipe away her tears. “K… Katherine Barker. But I usually go by Kat.” Her eyes darted between Joey and the pair of demons watching their conversation. “The prince talked about you before I followed Mammon out. He said something went wrong when he tried to summon you and you wound up somewhere other than the assembly hall like me.”

“Barbatos said as much too,” Joey confirmed. 

“H-how are you holding up?” Kat asked her. “You weren’t hurt were you?”

“Oh me? _Nah_.” Joey shook her head. “I had a pretty bad headache when I first woke up but I’m fine now, and that was the worst of it. More than anything, I’m just… trying to process everything that’s happening,” she answered thoughtfully. “But don’t worry too much about me, okay? I’ll be alright. I wanted to ask about you. I mean, I already asked if you were alright, but… I mean, how are _you_ holding up?”

Kat’s eyes darted around as she fidgeted with her hands. “Honestly, I’m so terrified! I’ve been taken away from my home, and they won’t let me go back no matter how much I beg. It’s not fair!” More tears escaped, tracing paths down to her chin before she reached up to try and wipe her face with her hands. 

Joey nodded, brows knitting together as she considered her response. “You’re right, it’s not. It sounds like you were taken here against your will too.” She frowned. “I’m really sorry. It’s not right. But, unfortunately it doesn’t seem we can do much about that right now. It sucks, but that’s the truth of it.” Joey’s mind shifted gears. She needed to think quickly before Mammon decided to insist on her and Kat parting ways. “Hey, is there anything you like to do when you’re stressed out? Or maybe a favorite drink or food you like that’s calming for you?”

_Not the best idea you could have picked,_ Joey chided herself. 

“Well…” Kat thought for a moment. “Mostly I like to go for a run by myself or practice playing my cello. I don’t have my cello though and I don’t think they’d let me go for a run by myself.”

“I see,” Joey replied. “Anything else?”

“I also… sometimes take hot baths. Especially when it’s been cold out.”

_I don’t know what kind of accommodations they’re planning on giving us. But hopefully it’s reasonable to expect she’ll have access to a decent shower or bath._ “That might work! If it’s possible, when you get to where you’re going to be staying, maybe you can try and take a hot bath as soon as you can? It’s not much but maybe it might help, even just a little.”

“I don’t know,” Kat hesitated, showing skepticism at the idea. “It just feels like everything is just crazy. Do you really think that will help?”

“I can’t say for sure. I’m not you,” Joey answered sympathetically. “But maybe giving yourself a little comfort and a chance to destress a bit might help soothe you and allow you to think. Maybe there’s not a lot you can do right now, but you can do that, right?”

Kat paused briefly, thinking on the matter a bit more before she responded. “I guess that’s true,” she said with a sigh. “ I think I’ll feel worse if I don’t do anything at all, so I might as well give it a try. Better than nothing, right?” She turned away and back, looking uncertain. Her facial expression, from what Joey could tell, seemed to be one of gratitude. “Thank you. For trying to help, I mean.”

_I couldn’t just sit by and do nothing_ , thought Joey. 

Kat turned to Mammon. “S-sorry about all this! I’m ready to go now.” Mammon nodded and started walking, Kat following after him. 

“Alright, let’s go!” He answered. “Don’t fall too far behind me, human. It’s my job to keep you safe and I don’t want to get blamed if something happens to you.”

_You don’t have anything to be sorry for, Kat._ _You certainly didn’t do anything wrong._ ** _They_** _did._

“That was a very brave thing you did,” Barbatos remarked. “Especially considering who you were talking to.”

“You mean Kat? Or Mammon?” Joey asked, confused for a moment. She walked back to Barbatos, waiting for him to start their trek to the assembly hall again.

“I was referring to Mammon in this case,” Barbatos clarified. “He may not look like it as he is now. But, he is a very powerful demon. Among _the most_ powerful in fact.”

Joey blinked, looking back in surprise. “Seriously?” _Wait, I wonder…_ “Is he a member of the Student Council?” 

Barbatos once again smiled. “Indeed. I supposed you’ve already guessed if my lord is Student Council President, that the rest of the council is composed of high ranking demons as well. The most powerful in the Devildom, in fact.” Barbatos began to walk, Joey following in step alongside him this time, rather than behind. “Currently, the rest of the council members include Prince Diavolo’s right hand, Lucifer, and Lucifer’s six brothers,” he explained, “The seven brothers are _the avatars of the seven deadly sins_ , not demons any human should approach too casually under most circumstances. Mammon is the eldest brother after Lucifer and the Avatar of Greed.”

Joey’s eyes widened. “So Mammon’s got some serious weight to throw around.” _I guess I really lucked out in managing to persuade my way into trying to help Kat._

“Yes.”

“I’m not so sure that makes me brave,” she replied to Barbatos. “I didn’t even know he was a big deal until you told me just now.”

“Would you have ignored your instinct to try and help your fellow human if you knew who it was you were dealing with?”

“Well,” Joey barely paused before giving her answer. “No, not really. I might have been more nervous and pessimistic about my chances of success. But, I still would have tried for her sake.”

“Then your actions are no less brave, Joey,” Barbatos said with a smile. “Now, if you’ll come with me this way, we are nearly at the assembly hall.” 

_Almost there,_ she thought. As she walked alongside Barbatos, she turned over what Barbatos had told her in her mind regarding RAD’s Student Council. _Lucifer and his six brothers_ , Joey considered. _And they’re avatars of the seven deadly sins. And here I thought the seven deadly sins were a concept people just made up. Hell, I thought Lucifer himself was something people made up!_

Joey not only grew up around people who believed in things like hell, demons, even the concept of one named Lucifer, or Satan as he was also commonly called. It was a fixture of life in her own family, and they had their own tales to tell of these thoroughly evil and corrupt beings. She was frightened as a little girl with stories of demons tempting innocent people and entrapping their souls. Of them empowering wicked people to do awful and unspeakable things. And the most powerful of them all, the one to be feared and hated the above all, was the one they called Lucifer. 

Joey had stopped believing in those stories years ago, and yet, she had to admit they played a part in her reactions here even so. 

_The way people talked about Lucifer, I would have thought he’d be this Demon King that Diavolo was ruling in the stead of, not the prince’s lieutenant. I also didn’t think he had any brothers, let alone six. And yet, I apparently just met one of them and convinced him to let me comfort another person whose in the same boat as me._ Joey rubbed her head, starting to recognize a tension and fatigue she associated with being overwhelmed. _Unfortunately, I can’t rest just yet. As much as I’d_ **_love_ ** _to go right back to bed._

Barbatos picked up his pace slightly as he led her down a spiral staircase to an even more spacious hallway. Eventually they came upon a large set of metal doors, with ornate decorations embossed into them. She recognized the likeness of various animals, but there were also symbols and markings that she didn’t know the meaning or significance of. _Symbols of the school, maybe? Or maybe they’re sigils of various demons?_

If Joey were to take a guess, this was their destination. She followed Barbatos up to the doors, standing near him as he reached to pull on one of the handles. “Wait one moment. I need to speak with my lord and announce your arrival. But then, you may enter.”

He went inside, leaving Joey alone just outside for maybe a minute or two. She could hear voices but they were muffled from her side of the door. Curiosity urged her to lean in and try to see if she could listen better, but it was no good. She couldn’t make anything out. Joey stepped back and waited for the doors to open again.

Barbatos came back out and held one of the doors open, stepping to the side for Joey to walk through. 

“Right this way.”

Joey began to make her way inside, but not before turning to Barbartos.

“Thanks for helping me get here, and for explaining everything you did, Barbatos. I’d be pretty terrified and lost right now otherwise.” _I’m still pretty terrified to be honest. But at least I have some idea of what I’m dealing with._

“It was no trouble, and it was my express duty to assist you as per my lord’s orders. But, your thanks is appreciated. I wish you the best of luck, whatever your fate may be.”

With that, Joey stepped inside and Barbatos closed the door behind her. 

_Whatever may fate may be, huh?_ She considered his parting words. _With any luck, my fate will be to be sent home. Kat’s too._ _Now the only question is if I can get lucky a second time and persuade my way out of this._


End file.
